"I
know I'm the best man for the job. My track record is better than any of
the other people interested in managing England!"

95 matches in charge

P 95 W
47 D 30 L 18 F154:
A6065% successful1982-90

discipline:
tbc
tbcplayers managed:
tbc

Profile

Full name

Sir Robert William Robson
CBE

Born

18 February 1933 in Sacriston, county
Durham [registered in Chester-le-Street, March 1933]. To
Philip and Lilian (Watt). Fourth of five sons, brought up in Langley Park.
Attended Waterhouses School.

Married

to Elsie M. Gray,
at St. Michael's Church, Esh [registered in Durham Central, June 1955].Three sons, Andrew, Paul and Mark.

Died
31 July 2009, aged 76 years 163 days, at his home in county Durham,
following a long battle with lung cancer. Private Funeral Service held
on 5 August 2009 at St
Michael's Church in Esh, buried at Langley Park cemetery, county Durham
(left).Memorial Service held on 21 September 2009 at Durham Cathedral,
beamed to TV screens at St James' Park, Craven Cottage and Ipswich town
centre. Attended by Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Bobby Charlton, Fabio
Capello, Sven Göran-Eriksson, Graham Taylor, Steve McClaren, Gary Lineker,
Paul Gascoigne and upto a thousand others made up the congregation.

Height/Weight

not known.

Playing Career

A wing half
and inside forward who started playing football with Chester-le-Street
FC juniors and Langley Park FC juniors. Despite being offered a contract
to play for Middlesbrough FC and interest from Newcastle United FC, Robson
signed for Fulham FC in May 1950, making 152
league appearances, scoring 68 times, before transferring to West
Bromwich Albion FC in March 1956 for an Albion record transfer fee of
£25,000 where he would make
another 239 league appearances, scoring 56 times, becoming club
captain. He returned to Fulham FC in August 1962 for
£20,000 for a higher salary and another 192
league appearances followed, scoring only nine times. With interest
from Arsenal FC, and an offer to become the player-manager of Southend
United FC, Robson became the inaugural player/coach of Vancouver Royals FC
in Canada from May 1967 to January 1968 in the United Soccer Association.

Club honours

"In all my time as a footballer, I
didn't win a thing." - R.W.Robson

Individual honours

Represented London in 1955. FA Tour of West Indies 1955
and South Africa 1956.

Distinctions

England 1957-62 (twenty appearances, four goals, one British
Championship winners, three more as shared winner), England B,
England U23, Football League XI.

Management Career

Coached Oxford
University between 1965 and 1966. Then after expectations of working with
Ferenc Puskás in Canada for Vancouver Royals FC, Robson returned to
Fulham FC for the third time in his career to become manager in January
1968, a position who would only hold until he was sacked in November.
After scouting for Chelsea FC, he returned to management with Ipswich Town
FC in January 1969, a position he held until July 1982.

Apparently a two-horse race between Bob Paisley and Robson, and having been interviewed for the job in 1977, Robson became a part of Ron
Greenwood's coaching staff, managing the B team from January 1978 until
July 1982 when he was appointed
manager on 7 July 1982, effective from September 1982. Attempted to
resign twice, firstly in September 1983, following the Denmark defeat,
that ultimately resulted in failure to reach the European Championship
Finals in 1984, but rejected. His second attempt was after
the dismal 1988 European Championships, again rejected. His contract was
due to end in January 1991, a contract that the FA had no intention of renewing.
In May 1990, the FA allowed Robson into contract negotiations with Dutch
side, PSV.

Other applicants

His application
was very low key. Robson had always been the favourite, with Ipswich Town
FC challenging for the title for the second year in a row, but the FA
waited until the World Cup was in progress to interview him. On the day of
England's second round clash with West Germany, Robson admitted that he'd
been offered the job. Once England had been eliminated, he was confirmed
as manager for the next five years, on 7 July 1982.

Don Howe became his first appointment, as his chief coach. Dr. Vernon Edwards continued to be team
doctor. Fred Street was the physiotherapist with Norman Medhurst his
assistant.

Management Career

Following the decision
not to renew his England contract, Robson was appointed manager of Philips
Sport Vereniging NV in the Dutch Eredivisie. He remained for two seasons
despite domestic success. He joined the Primeira Liga and Sporting Clube
de Portugal in July 1992 until his sacking in December 1993. Then FC Porto
picked up his services immediately, and a reversal of fortunes and success
followed. Barcelona FC picked up his services in July 1996 with further
success. He was General Manager in 1997-98, a position that did not sit
right, so he returned to Philips Sport Vereniging NV for the 1998-99
season. He returned to England to serve the FA as an advisor, but soon
took up his 'dream job' at Newcastle United FC in September 1999, and
despite interest from the FA again, to take on the England manager's job
in late 1999, Robson remained with Newcastle until he was sacked on 30
August 2004, after a poor start to that season. Robson turned down the
offer to become Director of Football at Heart of Midlothian, but did serve
to assist Steve Staunton as a Republic of Ireland national team advisor
between 13 January 2006 and 13 November 2007.

FWA Tribute
Award for outstanding contribution to the national game 1992; European
Manager of the Year 1996-97; British Sports Writers'
Association Pat Besford Trophy for
Outstanding Achievement 2001; Knighted for services to football 2002;
Football Association Hall of Fame 2002; LMA Special Merit Award 2002-03;Football Hall of Fame 2003;
Sports Coach UK Lifetime Achievement Award 2005; Eircom International
Personality of the Year 2006; BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime
Achievement Award 2007; Emerald UEFA Order of Merit Award March 2009; FIFA
Fair Play Award December 2009;